Walter Churchey
Walter Churchey (7 November 1747 - 3 December 1805) was a Welsh poet.Gordon, 306. Life Churchey was born at Brecon, Powys, Wales. His father was Walter, fifth son of Walter Churchy of Brecon (died 12 July 1646). By profession he was an attorney, but never a thriving one. He became a zealous methodist, probably through the influence of Thomas Coke (1747-1814), a Brecon man, and from 1771 he corresponded with John Wesley. He claims to have suggested to Wesley the publication of the Arminian Magazine, begun 1 Jan. 1778. The suggestion was not a new one, but Wesley's letter of 18 Oct. 1777 shows that he was in correspondence with Churchey on the subject. He married Mary Bevan of Clyro, Radnorshire (d. 26 Oct. 1822, aged 77), and had six children. Churchey was an indefatigable writer of religious verse. Before venturing to publish, in 1786 he consulted Cowper, who gave him a cautious reply. Wesley got him subscribers for his first publication, a "prodigious quarto" issued at a guinea; the leading piece is called "Joseph". Though it was not generally accepted as poetry, it was followed by other efforts in the same direction. The author in his final "Apology" complains that he had been "ostracised from Parnassus" by the critics. After Wesley's death Churchey became an ardent millenarian, of the school of Richard Brothers. He died at the Hay, near Brecon, and is buried with his ancestors in the Priory churchyard, Brecon. His second son, Walter (died 28 Februry 1840), was town clerk of Brecon for 26 years. Writing He published: 1. ‘Poems and Imitations,’ &c., 1789, 4to. 2. ‘Lines on the Rev. J. Wesley,’ &c. 1791?, 32mo. 3. ‘An Elegy to the Memory of W. Cowper,’ Hereford, 1800, 8vo. 4. ‘An Addition to Collins's Ode on the Passions; and the second edition of an Elegy on the Death of W. Cowper,’ 1804, 8vo. 5. ‘An Essay on Man, upon principles opposed to those of Lord Bolingbroke; in four epistles,’ &c., 1804,16mo. 6. ‘A Philippic on Idleness,’ 8vo (Watt). 7. ‘An Apology by W. Churchey for his public appearance as a Poet,’ Trevecca, 1805, 8vo. The British Museum catalogue, following Watt, calls him ‘William’ Churchey. Publications *''Poems, and Imitations of the British poets''. London: privately published, printed by G. Paramore, 1789. *''Lines on the death of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A''. 1791. *''A Remarkable Scene, or Open Vision: Actually seen near Hay, in Breconshire''. 1795. *''An Elegy to the Memory of William Cowper, Esq''. Hereford, UK: W.H. Parker, 1800. *''An Essay on Man: Upon principles opposite to those of Lord Bolingbroke''. London: privately published, printed by Barnard and Sultzer, 1804. *''The Passions: An ode for music'' with additions by Churchey. 1804. *''An Apology by W. Churchey: For his public appearance as a poet''. 1805. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Walter Churchey, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, May 10, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Web, May 10, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *Walter Churchey (1747-1805) info & 5 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About * Churchey, Walter Category:1747 births Category:1805 deaths Category:18th-century poets Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:English lawyers Category:English poets Category:Christian poets Category:Poets